10 Amazing Brazilian Dishes You've Never Heard Of

When most people think of Brazilian food, they think of honking skewers of meat from a Churrascaria. But Brazilian cuisine is much more varied than that. Sure, there's enough meat that carnivores will be satiated, but there's also an incredible array of exotic fruits and vegetables from the Amazon, fresh fish, rich desserts, and flavorful stews.

Here are 10 incredible Brazilian dishes you may not have heard of, but should try:

Pão de queijo: A type of fresh-baked cheesy bread that Brazilians eat for breakfast.
Pão de queijoFlickr/perfectsonnetMoqueca: A type of Bahian fish stew that's made with coconut milk, prawns, small boneless fish, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and coriander.
MoquecaFlickr/jacktwoFeijoada: Brazil's national dish is a rich stew made with black beans, smoked pork and a combination of other meats, like bacon, ribs, sausage, and beef. Some versions include kale, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, and pumpkin.
Feijoadaflickr/albumdobrutoPastel de nata: A Portuguese egg tart pastry that's often topped with Cinnamon and sugar.
Pastel de nataFlickr/stijnnieuwendijkCaipirinha: "Brazil's national cocktail" is made with cachaça (sugar cane hard liquor), sugar and lime. Variations are made with fresh fruit like pineapple, passion fruit, etc. Learn how to make one here.
CaipirinhaWikimedia Commons/SchermannChurrasco: Grilled, skewered meats are a Brazilian staple. Brazilians barbecue everything from beef and pork to lamb, chicken, and turkey.
Churrasco (Brazilian barbecue).Wikimedia CommonsBolinhos de bacalhau: Fried salted cod fritters are a delicious, salty snack often served with lime. It's a great snack on the beach.
Bolinhos de BacalhauFlickr/bignottoBobó de camarão: Also called shrimp bobo, this dish consists of sauteed shrimp in a puree of manioc (cassava) flour, coconut milk, and spices.
Shrimp boboFlickr/vinhosdeprovencePitaya: Dragonfruit is just one of the incredible exotic fruits to come out of the Amazon. It's cut up and sold on the streets all over Brazil.
Pitaya (dragonfruit)Flickr/anacarmenBrigadeiros: These sprinkle-covered chocolate truffles are filled with a gooey combination of condensed milk, chocolate powder, and butter. It tastes like a crunchy ball filled with Nutella.
BrigadeirosWikimedia Commons